Blue and Gold Illustrated

UNDER THE DOME Clemson By Andrew Owens For the third time in four seasons, Notre Dame heads into October with a 4-0 record. The ques- tion on the minds of Irish fans is whether that success can be sustained throughout the regular season like it was dur- ing magical ride to the BCS National Champi- onship Game in 2012. If the Irish are to establish themselves as legitimate College Football Playoff con- tenders — for those who think the domi- nant performance over Georgia Tech didn't do that already — a win on the road at Clemson is required. The Tigers feature one of the nation's most in- hospitable environments in Death Valley, easily the most intimidating on the 2015 slate. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables will have his unit ready for Notre Dame, even with the Tigers fielding a de- fense with only two returning starters at this point. A win at Clemson would be similar to the 2012 victory at Oklahoma, when the nation finally real- ized that Notre Dame was a national contender. The major roadblock to an undefeated season the rest of the way would be an Oct. 17 home show- down with USC, but the Irish must first beat Clem- son (and Navy) for that game to maintain its luster. The Tigers enter the contest 3-0 after a tough road win at Louisville. This matchup could be the difference between a New Year's Six bowl and the College Football Playoff for Notre Dame, even after six significant season-ending injuries. USC By Bryan Driskell There is no doubt that Clemson is a big game for Notre Dame. The Tigers will be the highest-ranked opponent the Irish will face all season. There are significant playoff and recruiting implications on the line in that game. A win will say a great deal about the Irish team. All of that is true, but no game in Oc- tober is bigger than Notre Dame's matchup against archrival USC, with the Trojans com- ing into South Bend af- ter whipping the Irish 49-14 to end the 2014 regular season. Notre Dame's first order of business will be a little bit of payback, erasing the memories of the beat-down suffered in Los Angeles. Notre Dame and USC are going toe-to-toe for a number of top recruits in the 2016 and 2017 classes, so bragging rights and a bit of recruiting momentum is at stake. The result of Notre Dame's game against Clem- son puts even more importance on the USC matchup. If Notre Dame goes into Death Valley and beats the Tigers, the Trojans will be just one of two remaining name opponents. Victories over Clemson and USC in a matter of three weeks will put to rest about any doubts concerning the legiti- macy of Notre Dame's playoff chances. If the Irish lose to Clemson, the USC matchup becomes even more important, giving Notre Dame an opportunity to beat a ranked opponent in hopes of reinvigorating its playoff chase. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHICH OCTOBER CLASH IS MORE CRUCIAL TO NOTRE DAME'S 2015 SEASON — CLEMSON OR USC? Junior linebacker Ben Boulware and the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley will present the Irish with perhaps their toughest road test of the season. PHOTO COURTESY CLEMSON

• Cover